Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Twilight: New Moon ~ 11.20.09



Lambast me if you must, I know it's a 'love story' but the grit in the book was sorely missing from the movie version of Twilight. Looks like it's back!

All the Twihards have already seen this, I am sure...but I just found it today. Okay, yes, I do believe the first film was rather crappy (hello, Bella is not a vegetarian...and that's just one flaw) but this. This. Looks. Amazing. So glad the franchise has changed forces and brought in 1) a male director and 2) much more focus on special effects and the supernatural storyline versus the angst and mush. Twilight, Reloaded!

Two more months to wait...

Yes, my margins have cropped the player a bit. To view this trailer in it's full size visit HERE.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Flickr Faves: The Polaroid House









An abandoned house turned into a Polaroid installation art exhibit. Yes, it is cool. No, it no longer exists.

To see the full series of photos from the house visit ~KIM~'s Flickr stream HERE.


Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Etsy: New in shop 4.22.09

It's a new series of images in my Etsy shop--just posted tonight! The Monticello Antique Mall is hands-down one of my favorite places to visit here in Portland. These new photos, like all of our items, are available as prints (variety of sizes) *OR* blank note cards.

Prefer a larger size? Need it framed? Shipped as a gift? Want it mailed to someone outside the states? Just ask!

These feminine images look glorious in the black mats we include with our prints, and they would be fantastic as a set of cards. You know...to keep in touch with your girlfriends, mail to your mom {Mother's Day is May 10th} or just keep 'em for yourself to enjoy!


layers of time


ladies room


creamy antiques

garden maiden


oregon reports

All images copyright Pfeiffer Photos 2009 - all rights reserved.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Series: Displaying Art and Photography - Gallery Wall

A varied collection of art has more impact when grouped together. Set against a light-colored niche wall in the dining room, the salon-style installation below makes it a focal point and a fun conversation starter.

Steal this idea: Instead of painting an accent wall, create a quilt of artwork and hang the pieces from the ceiling to the baseboard.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Series: Displaying Art and Photography - Ribbon Display

Prior to the end of the nineteenth century, pictures were often displayed on a strip of ribbon hung from a picture rail. This DIY project gives a modern twist to achieve the same effect.



Creating a changeable display
4 framed pictures 1 small empty frame 1 large empty frame 5 ft shaker tape or canvas webbing upholstery tacks drapery hooks measuring tape hammer picture nails

This project uses Shaker tape, a heavy-duty canvas strip used to weave chair seats. You can find Shaker tape at craft, sewing, and upholstery stores. Resist the temptation to use ribbon as Shaker tape is stronger, and you can pierce it without causing it to tear and fray. You can change this display frequently, without making new holes in your wall: just lift off the pictures and move the hooks. Hang one, a matching pair, or several side by side to fill up your space.

Choosing frames
Frames change the way pictures look: dark frames make them appear more vibrant, and metallic frames are reflective and draw attention to their edges. Create a floating effect by placing a larger empty frame around a small framed image instead of using a mat.

1. Calculate the length of the display by arranging photos or art on the tape and measuring. Add 1 foot, cut the tape to that length, and finish off the bottom with a V-cut.



2. To create a decorative hanger, loop the tape through the small empty frame, curling the cut end beneath the loop. Secure the tape to the frame with drapery tacks.



3. Lay the tape and pictures on a table and use a tape measure to help evenly space the frames. Attach drapery hooks to the tape at measured intervals.



4. Hang the tape on the wall and position the frames on the drapery hooks. If a picture leans forward, staple the frame to the tape from the back.




Photo credits: David Matheson for Pottery Barn.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Series: Displaying Art and Photography - Canvas Wall Art

Artwork is an important part of decorating your home. Art sets the mood, adds an accent or functions well just because we like it. Art adds a finishing touch, and it can be the inspiration for a room design but how do you find the right piece of art for your room? Canvas wall art has become popular over the last few years and more people are purchasing or creating superb pieces for their homes.

What makes canvas wall art great is that it can be inexpensive to buy or make yourself but it still gives the appearance of an authentic piece. Choosing the right canvas wall art can be challenging but in a few easy steps you can find the perfect piece for your room.


Audrey - Ikea 20 x 20 canvas $70

Match your color scheme
The first step in choosing your canvas wall art is to look at your color scheme. The basic rule of thumb is to choose an art piece that will match your room without detracting from any design elements that are already in it. If you find that your design style is filled with cool sleek lines and neutral colors, then a canvas wall art that adds a touch of color to a room is a good choice. If your room is filled with color, then simple wall art with minimal color will provide a nice break in the room. When you go to purchase your canvas art, bring swatches of your room colors to help you find the right colors and to be sure that the colors of the room and art do not clash.

Match your artwork
As with all other pieces of art and photography, there is a wide range of styles. Landscapes, flowers, abstract and other designs can be found in canvas art so make sure that the theme in the picture does not clash with the theme in your room. A lighthouse landscape doesn't fit in a room with Asian decor and an oriental floral piece won't look right in a room with a nautical theme. Just because you like it doesn’t mean it will match your decor so save your money for the right one.


UP - Pfeiffer Photos 20 x 24 canvas $150*

Match your wall
The area where you will be hanging the artwork is an important part to choosing your canvas . First, take a tape measure and get the dimension of the space that needs art. With those dimensions, you will get a better idea of what you would like in a piece. Make sure that the canvas matches the size of the wall. A big mistake is to go off to the store and buy a piece that is too big or too small. Too big, it may not fit, too small, it may appear out of place in the room. You don't want your art just floating there in the middle of empty wall space. When you purchase a canvas--ready made or for a DIY project--bring your tape measure and wall measurements to get the best match.


Nothing Beats Homegrown - scent of rain designs

Choose your style
Styles differ depending on your room, your design, your budget and your taste. Before you purchase or create a canvas, you should know the style that you want. A large canvas can really be a statement piece in an area with a large open wall but it's not the only way to go. Panels are a can fill a room and break up a pattern just enough to bring the eye to the artwork. If you produce a piece of art in panels, it is important to use the right subject. Most landscapes don’t work well in panels but if you choose a landscaped piece, make sure that you use canvases side to side and not top to bottom. For larger canvas panels use the rule of three, especially if you are decorating a large wall space but it's okay to use more than three. Look at the art and decide the best way to showcase it.


Winter Forest Diptych - JK Photography

Make your own
The last thing to mention about choosing the right canvas wall art for your room is to make your own if you can’t find something you love. It's easy to make canvas wall art and if you like abstract art, anyone can create interesting and unique work with little effort. Photography can be made into canvas wall art and you can use your own images or work with a photographer to produce a canvas of their work to display in your space.


Creative canvas arrangement - grid on one wall, large solo opposite

Canvas wall art should reflect your design and character so you don't need to stay within the norm. Branch out, explore and don’t hesitate when you find a perfect piece of canvas art for your wall just use it!

This series shares fresh ways to look at your fine art and photography pieces and to inspire you to seek out more. Future posts will feature with ideas, how-tos and photos to push the traditional "frame-it-hang-it" aside and have more FUN in your space!


*Most images in our shop are available as canvas prints--upon request and as a special order. Visit the shop or contact me for more information.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Series: Photo and art display - Hang it up, clip it on

To create unique snapshot galleries try these simple ideas. Use toggle hooks from a boat or hunt down a postcard rack (check retail fixture supply shops or vintage venues) to create a flexible photo display that's easy to update every day.


click grid to enlarge

YOU WILL NEED:

Retractable clothesline--check your local hardware shop or find one online like this, this (in white), this (in chrome) or a vintage one like this. Want it even more inexpensive? Just hang string, twine or cord from screws, nails or pushpins.

Clothes pins--wood, plastic or metal, choose your favorite to fit your decor.

1. Choose your display space--a wall, a window frame, along the edge of a shelf, etc.

2. Install your clothesline or hang your string. If you can use nails on your chosen space they are the most sturdy option.

3. Hang your pictures using your clothes pins.

Note: Moisture, humidity and heat can all cause your photos to curl so keep your rotation of images fresh or consider printing on heavier photo paper or quality card stock. Color copies or lamination may work best for long-term displays.

This post is Part 2 in my new series about creative displays for photography & art. I am creating this series to share fresh ways to look at your fine art and fine art photography, how they can enhance your home (or office, etc), and to inspire you to seek out more. Please visit again for future posts with ideas, how-tos and plenty of photos to show you options beyond traditional framing methods that will add personality and fun in your space!

Photo credit (pics 2, 3 & 4) - David Matheson, copyright 2005.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Series: Photo and Art Display - Snapshot Solution

Snapshots tell stories. Our stories, others stories, random memories and moments frozen in time. When framed alone, they can be too small to capture attention. To give them more presence try this creative display idea.



Displaying photos by color

Grouping photos by color gives them visual unity (often not easy with 4x6 or 5x7 size prints), and it leaps outside of the traditional, "just-another-photo-getting-lost-on-my-wall" placement. If you've got more small prints (4x6, 5x7) than you know what to do with, this is a project you can put together in one afternoon.

Supplies:

2 poster frames, 22 x 28 in (56 x 71 cm)
Poster board or gator board (sold in art-supply stores)
Archival glue
Brayer
Measuring tape

A note about photo adhesives

Photo-safe adhesives include archival-quality photo corners, acid-free linen and paper tape, archival glue, and wheat and rice starch pasted hinges which are the best option for fragile, valuable images)

Do not use cellophane tape, rubber cement, or any hobby glue to adhere
photos to a backing as these will all damage photos over time.


How To:
1. Cover a table with newspaper and gather all your unused photo prints that have yet to find a home in an album or frame. Sort the images by dominant color, blue for sky and water, red for the flowers from your last summer garden, etc. Try to have a good mix of people, places and things in each color stack.

2. Create a rough layout on your poster (or gator) board, keeping in mind the depth of your poster frame. Layer the photos to "crop" out parts your are not as partial to and to highlight the more interesting features.

3. When the arrangement is to your liking, use the archival glue or tape to secure the images to the board. Roll the edges of all the prints with a brayer to ensure they are firmly in place.


4. Let dry overnight, then set your finished collage into the poster frame and measure from the frame to the wire (as shown), to determine placement on your wall.

Last week I posted a simple question in the community forum on Etsy: "Why don't YOU buy fine art photography?" The response was overwhelming! The answers were varied, and there were some that popped up multiple times in the course of the thread. Most were about display concerns (ease of install, lack of space), size of prints (larger is popular--who would have guessed?!), and issues with framing (what to use, how to do, how many to choose, etc.)

This post is PART ONE in my new series called Creative displays for photography & art. I am writing this series with the hope of sharing fresh ways to look at your fine art and fine art photography pieces and to inspire you to seek out more. Please visit again for future posts with ideas, how-tos and photos to push the traditional "frame-it-hang-it" aside and have more FUN in your space!

Photo credit: Matheson, David. "How To Images." Photographs. Moss, Samantha. Singapore: Weldon Owen, Inc., 2005, 38-41.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Series: Blogging: The Low Cost, High Return Business Marketing Tool - Part 8: Businesses Perfect for Blogging

Any business that wants to increase their web traffic, improve their search engine rankings, build their prominence and reputation, influence customer choices and communicate more personally with customers is a candidate for blogging. A few examples of businesses that are considered perfect for business blogging:

Professionals – Doctors, Attorneys, Real Estate Agents, Financial Advisers and Accountants.

Service Industries – Restaurants, Retail Stores, Wedding and Event Planners, Consultants, Mechanics, Salons and Spas.

Arts and Entertainment – Musicians, Artists, Photographers, DJ’s, Theaters and Movie and Stage Production Companies.

Tourism and Travel – Restaurants, Hotels, Tour Providers, Travel Agents, Cruise and Airline Companies.


Click the grid for a larger view

t 2 b, l 2 r: make a jazz noise here fine art photo, vincent teuliere, elizabeth luxe hair comb - lulu splendor, sunset sakura tunic - ahpeele, vintage upcycled red leather travel case - get ready, set, go!

The bottom line on blogs is simple--any business that would benefit from building their reputation and improving the trust of their clients and potential customers can benefit from blogging. The cost is low, the advantages are high, and the outcomes can be very rewarding for companies, the bloggers and their readers.

Items displayed in this post are from the handmade and vintage shops of Etsy. Follow the links above to find more in these and all the shops of Etsy!

This is the final segment of my blog marketing series. If you missed parts 1-7, please visit my archives to read the entire series.


Copyright pfeiffer photos 2009 - all rights reserved. Please do not use my writing or photographs without permission. Contact me HERE for more information or permissions.


Friday, December 12, 2008

Series: Blogging - The Low Cost, High Return Business Marketing Tool: Part 7: Trackbacks and why they are important

In October 2008, Part Six of this marketing series covered the cons for businesses without a blog--a list of reasons why not blogging could affect your bottom line. This addition to the series will cover the importance of using Trackbacks.



l 2 r: Away fine art photo - aral33 photography, Doc Holiday hat - Moe Sew Co., Delicate Furry Necklace - Sara Lagace Original Designs, Gold Spalding dress - Makool Loves You.


Trackbacks are a tool used by bloggers for linking to other blogs. For example, if the author of a blog finds a great blog post on another person or company’s blog they might want to link it back to their company blog. The old-fashioned way to link would be to manually insert a link on the authors’ site to the discovered blog of interest, but the person whose blog is being linked to would not know you had linked to them unless they were informed. “A trackback program will notify the original blogger when one of their posts is linked to another blog by setting up a link at the bottom of every blog post.”[1]


t 2 b: Large Green Bowl - sirius.fnord, Montana fine art photo - Kerri Bastin, Origami Ornaments - Paper Red Shoes, Slate Bottle Trio - Sara Paloma Pottery.

Trackbacks are important to bloggers because they increase awareness of blogs and improve the credibility of a blog. A post about the referenced blog accompanies a trackback on one blog, which is the equivalent of receiving free advertising for the referenced blog. Readers will follow the links, learn of the referenced company, and possibly visit that blog again if they enjoy the content presented. The result of a trackback equals more traffic for the blog and more opportunities for making new connections.

“A growing number of American CEOs rate blogs
effective as employee communication tools.

59% of CEOs polled said they find blogs useful for internal
communications.
47% of CEOs stated they see blogs as a tool for external
communications.
18% of CEOs say they plan to host a company blog over the
next two years.”[2]


l 2 r: Sample Soaps - Kelle's Kitchen, O, Christmas Tree holiday cards - Jumping Jack Designs, 6-bottle Wool Wine Holder - Etcetera Media.

This post is part SEVEN of a marketing series. Please visit my archives to read parts 1-8.

The photos featured in this post represent items sold by our uber-creative, fellow small business owners, in their online Etsy stores. Please click on the links under the photo grids to visit the artist shops on Etsy.

Handmade fine arts, crafts, jewelry, metalwork, furniture, edibles, organic, eco-friendly, toys, decor, clothing, fibers, home decor, paper goods, accessories, supplies and all kinds of retro-good vintage items are waiting to delight your shopping sensibilities for the holidays and all-year-round on Etsy from all around the globe!


[1] Detty, Terry. "Why Trackbacks are Useful For Blogs." [Weblog WebReference.com] 2008. Webreference.com. 25 May 2008 http://www.webreference.com/promotions/trackbacks/.
[2] Sharma, Dinesh C.. "Study: CEOs find blogs useful." cnet.com 7, November 2005 25 May 2008 http://news.cnet.com/Study-CEOs-find-blogs-useful/2100-1047_3-5937387.html.
copyright pfeiffer photos 2008 - all rights reserved. do not use my writing or photographs without my permission. contact me HERE for info and permissions...thanks!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Blogging: The Low Cost, High Return Business Marketing Tool - Part 2: What is a Blog?

The term “blog” is short for “weblog”. A weblog is a website that uses a dated log format and links to other web sites along with commentary about those sites. Blogs are updated frequently and can be grouped by subjects, such as politics, news, personal (think: public online journal), or types of businesses and issues related to them.[1]

In 1998, blogs were a very new concept and most bloggers were familiar with one another and could link their websites together with code built into their pages. Web developers who hand-coded their websites both designed and wrote the content of most blogs. In 1999, free weblog-creation software programs, which were easier to use and did not require users to write HTML code, became available to the public online and blogging grew in popularity. In August 1999, the invention of Blogger was introduced online and was quickly embraced. The Blogger program provides templates and designs for any user to create a unique look just for their blog. By October 2000, 300 new blogs were created each day on Blogger, and 5,500 blog owners were registered. In November 2000, 10,000 blogs were reported active on Blogger, and by 2002; over 750,000 users were listed with Blogger.[2]


Click the photo grid for a larger view

l 2 r: Individuality 1 by Rosemary Pierce-Lackey, Organic Double-Chocolate Pecan Brownies by Vanilla Bean Organic Bake Shop, 2 Plus 1 Woods necklace by i.heart.mies, Gone Fishing cotton tote by Yunny)


How can blogging benefit a business?

In addition to decent ideas, great product, visibility and a well-trained people you need good marketing, great customer relations, support, and other factors to succeed. Until blogging, the most common wisdom was that press coverage was the most credible way to reinforce the company image, product and reputation. Press coverage can be expensive and often receives negative or inaccurate feedback.



Click the photo grid for a larger view

l 2 r: Gold Bangle Bracelet by Metals Girl, Mid Century Slipper Chair from Lunar Lounge Design, Gray & Ochre screen print notes by Michelle Brusegaard, 50's Glam Flapper Dress from Cherry Pick Vintage

Any company that has something to say that will add value to what their core product is should look at blogging as a new marketing tool. Blogging provides direct access for businesspeople to get their message directly to their target audience and to receive their feedback.

This post is part two of a series. Please continue the journey with us in the next installment!

The photos displayed in this post represent items sold by our talented fellow small business owners, in their online Etsy stores. Please click on their links to browse their shops for quality handmade and vintage goods.

[1] "Ask Yahoo!." Ask Yahoo!. 15, December 2002. Yahoo! Inc.. 26 May 2008 .
[2] "Ask Yahoo!." Ask Yahoo!. 15, December 2002. Yahoo! Inc.. 26 May 2008 .

copyright pfeiffer photos 2008 - all rights reserved. do not use my writing or photographs without my permission. contact me HERE for info and permissions...thanks!